Chesley Sully Sullenberger III, Pilot of US Airways Flight 1549 Pilot of US Airways Flight 1549 Saved all 155 passengers and crew on January 15, 2009. Chesley Burnett Sullenberger wanted to fly from the time he was a boy, watching fighter jets roar over his small hometown in Texas. After a long career as a commercial pilot, Air Force fighter pilot, accident investigator and safety expert, Sullenberger, 57, faced his own emergency yesterday, landing US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River. As the last passengers climbed onto ferry boats, Sullenberger walked the entire plane, twice, making sure that no one was left behind, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said at a news conference last night. "I'm not surprised at all," said Doug Hoover, 58, who was a high school classmate of the pilot in Denison, Texas. "This is his first chance to be a hero, but he always had it in him. He would have gone down with the ship, if that's what it took." Denison was home to an Air Force jet training base.

"We grew up with jets buzzing around and he was in love with that from the get-go," Hoover said. Sullenberger took private lessons and earned his private pilot's license when he was a junior in high school, said Jim Russell, 57, another classmate who played with Burnett in the junior high and high school marching bands. "Occasionally, he would take me up in a plane," Russell said. "We would fly around and look at everything." Sullenberger, known then as Burnett, was a committed kid with a sharp mind and strong sense of duty, his friends said. He could cut it up with the rest of them, Hoover said, but he remained focused on one thing. "He didn't want to do anything to hurt his chances to get into the Air Force Academy," Hoover said. "He never got into any mischief whatsoever." His father was a dentist and his mother taught elementary school. Both parents encouraged his flying dreams, Hoover said. He passed the academy's rigorous entry requirements in 1969 and headed to Colorado Springs. Commissioned four years later as an Air Force officer, Sullenberger, who now goes by the nickname "Sully," soon developed an interest in accident prevention.

A fighter pilot flying F-4 Phantom II jets, he served as a member of the U.S. Air Force mishap investigation board. In 1980, he joined US Airways and began a long civilian career as a pilot, investigator, researcher and entrepreneur, founding Safety Reliability Methods, a company that helps businesses improve their safety. Sullenberger now lives in Danville, Calif., where he is a visiting scholar at the University of California at Berkeley's Center for Catastrophic Risk Management, which studies safety, infrastructure, and preparedness in accidents and natural disasters. Sullenberger was the right person to guide passengers through a crisis, Karlene Roberts, a friend who co-directs the center told the Contra-Costa Times of Walnut Creek, Calif. "I can imagine him being sufficiently in charge to get those people out," Roberts said. "He's got that kind of personality, which is to his credit." A few minutes after takeoff yesterday, Sullenberger told air traffic control that he had experienced a "multiple bird strike," said Bill McLoughlin, a union representative at LaGuardia Airport for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. Both engines quit.

Passengers said Sullenberger told them to brace for impact, then landed on the water. "He was phenomenal," said passenger Joe Hart, 50, of Massapequa. "He landed it. I tell you what - the impact wasn't a whole lot more than a rear-end [collision]. It threw you into the seat ahead of you." While politicians and passengers lauded Sullenberger as a hero yesterday, his wife fielded calls from reporters. Reached by phone, she said simply that she was proud of him. Staff writers Eden Laikin and Andrew Strickler and The Associated Press contributed to this story. NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON BOARD 155 Resume of Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger: Bottom-line driven manager supported by progressively responsible experience across 40+ years in the aviation industry. Possess in-depth understanding of aviation operations acquired through real-world flight experience, professional training and leadership roles with one of world’s leading airlines. History of achievement in safety, innovation, crew training, operational improvement, cost savings, productivity improvement and customer service; proven ability to maximize crew performance and flight safety.

Combine strong industry knowledge and business leadership skills to consistently manage complex scheduling, lead high- performance, motivated teams and implement efficient processes that ensure smooth operations and quality customer service. Strong communicator, effective negotiator and motivational team builder; able to effectively communicate needs and merge disparate teams in the support of market objectives. Respected for wide range of industry knowledge, solid sense of integrity and demonstrated passion for industry as a whole as evidenced by lifelong career of flying. Industry Expertise: Piloting Procedures, Techniques & Standardization; Crew Resource Management/ Operations; Technical Safety Strategies (NASA Aviation Research Consultant); Customer Service; Policies & Procedures Development; Operations Improvement; Emergency Rated: Airline Transport Pilot; Airplane Single and Multi- Engine Land; Commercial Privileges Glider; A320, B737, DC- 9/MD-80, Learjet. 19,000 hours. Certificated Flight Instructor (Airplane Single and Multi- Engine, Glider, Instrument Airplane); Flight Engineer (Turbojet Powered); Ground Instructor (Advanced and Instrument).

Management Qualifications: Quality Control, Staff Training & Development, Systems Implementation, Inventory Management, IT Needs Assessment, Customer Service, Relationship Building, Productivity Improvement, Budgeting & Expense Reports, Vendor Negotiations. Pilot – Captain on Airbus A319/320/321 Overview: Direct activities of pilot and flight attendant crew during both domestic and international flights (U.S., Canada, Latin America and Caribbean). Oversee all planning, directing and verifying all aspects of preparation for flight, including aircraft maintenance, servicing, loading, catering and passenger boarding. Brief crew on safety and security procedures and flight profile, ensuring all factors are currently and remain favorable for flight, while making sure all FAA and company procedures/polices are adhered to. Act as Pilot-in-Command, In-flight Security Coordinator and final authority on all issues relating to safety of flight. Key Achievements & Contributions Served as Check Airman, supervising and instructing other airline pilots upgrading from First Officer to Captain and to different aircraft. Recognized as one of best Check Airman/Line Instructors. Spearheaded efforts to improve maintenance efforts of MD- 80 fleet, focusing on reliability of air conditioning systems.

Helped identify and reduce number of faulty air conditioning systems from 24 to zero on fleet. Received formal commendation from MD-80 Fleet Manager for work on this project. Instrumental in delivering better, more competitive passenger service by presenting and receiving approval for suggestion to apply for and receive lower-than-standard takeoff minima in Canada. Realized operational safety and efficiency improvements by providing numerous suggestions that improved company gate charts that pilots use taxiing to/from airport gates. Enhanced situational awareness and safety by incorporating entry/exit taxiways on airport charts used by pilots to transition from gate areas to runways, working closely with airline vendor that provides pilot charts. Improved efficiency and reliability of air service in National Airspace System. Identified hundreds of FAA Instrument Landing System procedures used by all operators to land at airports that utilized incorrect visibility minima and collaborated with chart vendor to correct them. Selected as airline pilot representative to work with vendor that provides Flight Management System (FMS) for several of airline’s aircraft to improve software and hardware that positively impacted operational safety and efficiency of airline operations. FMS improvements led to savings in both time and money (1% savings in fuel costs).

Driving force behind development of airline’s first CRM course and presenting course to hundreds of USAirways pilots. Significantly reduced number of operational incidents and realized reduction in number of altitude deviations. Course focuses on multi-disciplinary approach involving leadership, communication, decision-making and error management – airline went from 5 major accidents to zero. Served as NASA Aviation Safety Research Consultant evaluating cockpit systems for reducing runway incursions. Co-authored published technical paper on crew decision- making errors in aviation working with NASA Ames researchers which provided blueprint for safer pilot training, procedures and standardization. Instrumental in guiding all aviation groups to adopt safer, more uniform standard with respect to departure procedures that ultimately was incorporated into new FAA standard for all operators. Teamed with SFO to adopt new airport taxiway signage that met latest FAA standards while improving safety and operational efficiency. Played integral role working with ATA, FAA, NATCA and NTSB to improve operations and investigate several major airline accidents. As member of ALPA National Noise Abatement Committee, directly involved in development of FAA Advisory Circular 91-53 which set new standard for aircraft noise abatement departure procedures industry-wide and improved safety and standardization.

Key contributor/member of National Transportation Safety Board Survival Factors Group during investigation of major airline accident at LAX, leading to improved airline procedures and training for emergency evacuations of aircraft. Participated in joint FAA/ALPA All-Weather Flying Committee simulator study of Head-Up-Display (HUD) symbology effectiveness during low visibility landings. Widely recognized as pilot advocate and champion of high professional standards that consistently result in safer, smoother and more efficient flights. Employ leadership-by- example approach in the facilitation of CRM courses, teaching captains to be more effective leaders and make better decisions. U.S. AIR FORCE 1973 to 1980 F-4 Pilot Overview: Flight Leader and Training Officer with experience in Europe, Pacific and at Nellis AFB, serving as Blue Force Mission Commander in Red Flag Exercises.

Educational Achievements & Professional Development B.S., Psychology – United States Air Force Academy, Colorado M.S., Industrial Psychology – Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana M.A., Public Administration – University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado Member, Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) Served as ALPA Local Air Safety Chairman, Member of ALPA Noise Abatement Committee, ALPA representative during negotiations leading to adoption of Advisory Circular 91-53, Aircraft Noise Abatement Departure Procedures. Safety/Reliability Consultant and Speaker on two panels at HRO 2007 (High Reliability Organization) International Conference in Deauville, France: “Flying Right, Low and High Reliability in Air Transportation Systems” and “A Comparison of Field Experience in HRO Implementation: Aviation, Aerospace and Medicine”. President & CEO, Safety Reliability Methods, Inc. Expert in applying safety and reliability methods in a variety of fields. Visiting Scholar, University of California, Berkeley, Center for Catastrophic Risk Management There were 155 souls aboard Flight 1549. And every single one made it out.

It was a jaw-dropping achievement, by Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who steered a crippled Airbus A320 in for a controlled belly flop in the Hudson River yesterday. An inspiring feat. One heck of a heartwarming story for a dreary winter day. Some reports suggested it may have been the first successful water landing of a crippled commercial airplane. "The captain said, 'Brace for impact because we're going down,'" passenger Jeff Kolodjay, 31, of Norwalk, Conn., still wet below the knees of his pants, told reporters. Passengers put their heads down, and some prayed. "It was intense. It was intense," Kolodjay said. "You've got to give it to the pilot. He made a hell of a landing." Which qualifies as an understatement. Sullenberger wasn't giving interviews yesterday. But I suspect he might shun the label of hero, and maybe even shrug. He was just doing his job, he might say, before going on to thank his crew for their professionalism, his passengers for their cooperation, and the rescuers who came to their aid.

He's an Air Force Academy graduate and once flew F-4 Phantom planes, joining US Airways in 1980. Here, in part, is how Sullenberger himself describes his responsibilities on his resume: "Brief crew on safety and security procedures and flight profile, ensuring all factors are currently and remain favorable for flight ... Act as Pilot-in-Command, In-flight Security Coordinator and final authority on all issues relating to safety of flight. In short, the guy's a pro. That's fine, but the fact remains that more than 60 tons of airplane left LaGuardia bound for Charlotte yesterday afternoon, carrying Kolodjay and his fishing buddies among its passengers. What happened to the engines is yet to be determined. Yesterday, authorities said a flock of birds may have caused engine failure. And Sullenberger, during the critical last minutes when the plane remained airborne, made the plane succumb to his will. He did not land where people on the ground could be hurt. He kept the plane over water. And, eyewitnesses told reporters, he carefully piloted the plane down and into the Hudson, as smoothly as if he were landing on a runway.

Then, passengers said he checked the plane, which was taking on water, to make sure everyone had been rescued. He checked the plane twice. He handled all of it with experience and skill. But there is something more. It's a calm that's almost otherworldly, and a preternatural cool-headedness. That's what the best pilots possess. No matter what happens. Even that's not always enough to save lives. His success reminded me of my buddy, a former World War II pilot. He once told me about a time he and his squadron had to deliberately steer their planes into the Pacific because they didn't have enough fuel to make it back from a mission. They climbed out fast and bobbed in the water in small rafts, as the occasional enemy plane flew overhead, until they were rescued. What happened to the planes? "Oh, they sank," he told me. "Weren't you scared?" I asked. He laughed, hard, at the question.

"No," he said, "We were doing our job." Chesley Sullenberger | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Chris Matthews 's The Hardball Award Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger, III (born January 23, 1951) [1] is a retired airline captain , aviation safety expert and accident investigator, best-selling author, speaker and consultant. Sullenberger gained fame when he successfully executed an emergency water landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan, New York City, after the aircraft had been disabled by striking a flock of Canada geese during its initial climb out of LaGuardia Airport on January 15, 2009. All of the 155 passengers and crew aboard the aircraft survived. Sullenberger is an international speaker on airline safety [2] and has helped develop new protocols for airline safety. Sullenberger served as the co-chairman of the EAA 's Young Eagles youth introduction-to-aviation program from 2009 to 2013.

[3] Sullenberger retired from US Airways after 30 years as a commercial pilot on March 3, 2010. [4] In May of the following year, Sullenberger was hired by CBS News as a News Aviation and Safety Expert. [5] He is the author of the New York Times best-seller Highest Duty, a memoir of his life and of the events surrounding Flight 1549, published in 2009 by HarperCollins. His second book, Making a Difference: Stories of Vision and Courage from America's Leaders, was published in May 2012. He was ranked second in Time magazine's " Top 100 Most Influential Heroes and Icons of 2009 ". [6] Contents Edit Sullenberger was born in Denison, Texas, to a dentist father — a descendant of Swiss immigrants named Sollenberger [7] — and an elementary school teacher mother. He has one sister, Mary Wilson. The street on which he grew up in Denison was named after his mother's family, the Hannas.

According to his sister, Sullenberger built model planes and aircraft carriers during his childhood, and says he became interested in flying after seeing military jets from a nearby Air Force base from his house. [8] He went to school in Denison, and was consistently in the 99th percentile in every academic category. [9] At the age of 12, his IQ was deemed high enough to join Mensa International . [9] In high school, he was the president of the Latin club, [10] a first chair flautist , [10] and an honor student. [10] His high-school friends have said that Sullenberger developed a passion for flying from watching jets based out of Perrin Air Force Base . [8] He was an active member of the Waples Memorial United Methodist Church in Denison, [11] and graduated from Denison High School in 1969 [10] near the top of his class of about 350. [8] At 16, Sullenberger learned to fly in an Aeronca 7DC from a private airstrip near his home.

He said the training he received from a local flight instructor set the base for his aviation career for the rest of his life. 1973 Air Force Academy senior class photo In addition to his Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Air Force Academy , Sullenberger also holds a Master's Degree in Industrial Psychology from Purdue University and a master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Northern Colorado. [12] Military service Edit Sullenberger enrolled at the United States Air Force Academy in 1969. He was selected as one of around a dozen other freshmen for a cadet glider program, and by the end of that year, he was an instructor pilot. [8] In the year of his graduation, 1973, he received the Outstanding Cadet in Airmanship award, as the class "top flyer". Following graduation with a Bachelor of Science and his commissioning as an officer, the Air Force immediately sent Sullenberger to Purdue University. [13] Sullenberger served as a fighter pilot for the United States Air Force , [14] piloting McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs from 1975 to 1980.

[15] He advanced to become a flight leader and a training officer, and attained the rank of captain , [12] with experience in Europe, the Pacific, and at Nellis Air Force Base , as well as operating as Blue Force Mission Commander in Red Flag Exercises . [15] While in the Air Force, he was a member of an aircraft accident investigation board. [16] Aviation career Edit Sullenberger was employed by US Airways or its predecessor airlines from 1980 until 2010. [4] [17] [18] ( Pacific Southwest Airlines was acquired by US Air, later US Airways, in 1988.) In total, he has more than 40 years and 20,000 hours of flying experience. In 2007 [12] he became the founder and CEO of Safety Reliability Methods, Inc. (SRM), a management, safety, performance, and reliability consulting firm. SRM provides strategic and tactical guidance to enhance organizational safety, performance, and reliability.

[19] He has also been involved in a number of accident investigations conducted by the USAF and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), such as Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771 and USAir Flight 1493 . [20] He served as an instructor, Air Line Pilots Association Local Air Safety Chairman, accident investigator, and national technical committee member. [14] [21] His safety work for ALPA led to the development of a Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular. [15] He was instrumental in developing and implementing the Crew Resource Management course that is used by US Airways, and he has taught the course to hundreds of airline crew members [15] [22] Working with NASA scientists, he coauthored a paper on error-inducing contexts in aviation. [15] He was an air accident investigator for a NTSB inquiry into a major accident at Los Angeles International Airport , which "led to improved airline procedures and training for emergency evacuations of aircraft". [16] Sullenberger has also been studying the psychology behind keeping an airline crew functioning during a crisis.

[23] He holds an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate for single and multi-engine airplanes, and a Commercial Pilot Certificate rating in gliders, as well as an expired flight instructor certificate for airplanes (single, multi-engine, and instrument), and gliders. [24] Sullenberger was active with his union, serving as chairman of a safety committee within the Air Line Pilots Association. [25] Flight 1549 Main article: US Airways Flight 1549 On January 15, 2009, Sullenberger was pilot in command of an Airbus A320 from New York's LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte/Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina. The flight was designated as US Airways Flight 1549 as well as United Airlines Flight 1919. [26] Shortly after taking off, Sullenberger reported to air traffic control that the plane had hit a large flock of birds , disabling both engines. [27] Several passengers saw the left engine on fire. [28] Sullenberger discussed with air traffic control the possibilities of either returning to LaGuardia airport or attempting to land at the Teterboro Airport in New Jersey.

However, Sullenberger quickly decided that neither was feasible, and determined that ditching in the Hudson River was the only option for everyone's survival. [29] Sullenberger told the passengers to "brace for impact," then piloted the plane to a water landing in the Hudson River at about 3:31 p.m. [30] All passengers and crew members survived. [30] He later said, "It was very quiet as we worked, my co-pilot and I. We were a team. But to have zero thrust coming out of those engines was shocking—the silence." [31] Sullenberger walked the unflooded part of the passenger cabin twice to make sure everyone had evacuated before retrieving the plane's maintenance logbook and being the last to evacuate the aircraft. [8] [32] Sullenberger, described by friends as "shy and reticent," [33] has been noted for his poise and calm demeanor during the crisis.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg , for example, dubbed him "Captain Cool." [34] However, Sullenberger acknowledged that he had suffered some symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for the first couple of weeks following the crash, including sleeplessness and flashbacks, though this condition had improved by the time of his late February 2009 interview with People. [35] In a CBS 60 Minutes interview, he was quoted as saying that the moments before the crash were "the worst sickening, pit-of-your-stomach, falling-through-the-floor feeling" that he had ever experienced. [36] Speaking with news anchor Katie Couric , Sullenberger said: "One way of looking at this might be that for 42 years, I've been making small, regular deposits in this bank of experience, education and training. And on January 15 the balance was sufficient so that I could make a very large withdrawal." [37] Post-flight accolades and publicity Edit U.S. President George W.

Bush called Sullenberger to thank him for saving the lives of the passengers, [38] as did President-elect Barack Obama [39] who also invited him, as well as the entire crew, to join the presidential inauguration ceremony . [40] On January 16, 2009, the United States Senate passed a resolution to recognize and honor Sullenberger, co-pilot Jeff Skiles, the cabin crew, the passengers, and the first responders involved in Flight 1549's emergency landing. [41] The United States House of Representatives passed a similar resolution of praise on January 26, 2009. [42] Sullenberger attended the presidential inauguration on January 20, 2009, where he and his wife met President Obama. [35] On January 22, 2009, he and the rest of the crew of Flight 1549 were awarded a Masters Medal by the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators .

[43] A ceremony for Sullenberger was held on January 24, 2009, in his hometown of Danville, California , where he was presented with awards including Danville's "Key to the Town", [33] and was named an honorary Danville police officer . [44] San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District Chief Richard Price presented Captain Sullenberger with his district's highest award, the Medal of Valor, [45] which has been given only a few times in the district's history. [46] Sullenberger, Skiles, and Flight 1549's cabin crew, Doreen Welsh, Sheila Dail and Donna Dent, were honored with a standing ovation during the title = Super ovation for 'Sully', US Airways crew| publisher = [[NBC Sports |agency=Associated Press| date = February 1, 2009| url = accessdate = 2009-02-01}}</ref> Sullenberger was awarded with honorary lifetime membership in The Seaplane Pilot's Association.

[47] [48] Admirers of Sullenberger also started a Facebook fan site that, as of late February 2009, had half a million members. [35] A few weeks after the crash, it was revealed that Sullenberger had left a library book titled Just Culture: Balancing Safety and Accountability in his luggage in the cockpit. Ironically, Sullenberger had been reading about establishing an effective safety culture by balancing accountability with learning. When Sullenberger telephoned the library to notify them that the water-damaged book had been recovered, it waived the usual late fees. New York City Mayor Bloomberg replaced the book when presenting Sullenberger with the Key to the City of New York . [49] [50] Sullenberger threw out the first pitch of the 2009 Major League Baseball season for the San Francisco Giants. His Giants' jersey was inscribed with the name "Sully" and the number 155 - a reference to the 155 people aboard the plane.

[51] On June 6, 2009, Sullenberger returned to his childhood hometown of Denison, Texas, to participate in that town's D-Day celebration, and to give the commencement address for his alma mater, Denison High School, marking the 40th anniversary of his own graduation from the school. [52] Sullenberger also made an appearance in St. Louis, Missouri, on July 14, 2009, to participate in the Red Carpet All-Star Parade that took place before the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Sullenberger testified before the U.S. House of Representatives's Subcommittee on Aviation of the Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure on February 24, 2009, that his salary had been cut by 40 percent, and that his pension, like most airline pensions, was terminated and replaced by a " PBGC " guarantee worth only pennies on the dollar. [53] Sullenberger also mentioned his pay cut in an October 13, 2009 appearance on The Daily Show .

Sullenberger retired from US Airways and its predecessor airline after 30 years with them on March 3, 2010. He indicated, however, that his advocacy for aviation safety and the piloting profession would continue. [4] In 2009, Sullenberger filmed a TV commercial as a spokesman for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital . [54] Sullenberger flew to the Charlotte, North Carolina, museum where the plane is located on November 18, 2011, as part of a fund-raising effort, entering the plane for the first time since the incident. [55] Chesley Sullenberger was selected as the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade 's Grand Marshal , an honor which was announced on Thursday, November 5, 2009, in Pasadena, California, at the Tournament House . [56] In 2009, Sullenberger was awarded the Founders' Medal by The Air League . [57] Chesley B.

Sullenberger at the LIONS World Convention 2010 (Sydney) In December 2010, Sullenberger was appointed an Officer of the Legion of Honour . [58] [59] Post-flight career Edit He was a featured speaker for two panels, one on aviation and one on patient safety in medicine, at the High Reliability Organizations (HRO) 2007 International Conference in Deauville, France , from May 29 to 31, 2007. [60] Sullenberger authored a New York Times Best-Selling book titled Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters . It is a memoir of his life of preparation for the challenge he faced during Flight 1549. Co-author Jeffrey Zaslow died on February 10, 2012, in an automobile crash while promoting a different book. Sullenberger delivered a eulogy at his memorial service on February 13. [61] Sullenberger wrote a second book about leadership titled Making a Difference: Stories of Vision and Courage from America's Leaders, which was released on May 15, 2012.

CBS News hired Sullenberger as a News Aviation and Safety Expert. [62] He is on the editorial board of the Journal of Patient Safety. [63] He was featured in the 2012 Discovery Channel film Surfing the Healthcare Tsunami: Bring Your Best Board. [64] Personal life Edit Sullenberger is married to fitness expert and television personality Lorraine "Lorrie" Sullenberger, [30] with whom he has two adopted daughters, [16] Kate and Kelly. [65] The Sullenbergers reside in Danville, California . [65] [66] Sullenberger is a registered Republican. [67] In October 2009, it was reported that the Republican Party had approached Sullenberger about running for Jerry McNerney 's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Sullenberger's publicist said that Sullenberger had no desire to run for any public office.

[67] In popular culture Edit Humorist and radio personality Garrison Keillor wrote "Pilot Song: The Ballad of Chesley Sullenberger III" for the January 17, 2009, edition of the variety show A Prairie Home Companion . The 2011 song "A Real Hero" by College and Electric Youth, featured in the 2011 film Drive, was written about Sullenberger and Flight 1549; It contains the lyrics "A pilot on a cold, cold morn'. One hundred fifty-five people on board. All safe and all rescued...". Sullenberger is repeatedly referenced in the 2011 feature film romantic comedy Friends with Benefits. Throughout the film, Justin Timberlake 's character, a Los Angeles transplant living in New York City, repeatedly suggests to people, while flying between the two locations, that modern airplanes practically fly themselves, and that Sullenberger's feat is less notable than it is portrayed to be, only to encounter incredulity and hostility for this idea.

In addition, Mila Kunis 's character is seen reading Sullenberger's Wikipedia article, as well as having a brief cameo as a security guard on a building roof. [68] [69] [70] An animated version of Sullenberger appeared in "The Unbrave One," the January 8, 2012, episode of the animated TV show American Dad! [71] Sullenberger is referenced in "The Hero," an August 2011 episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm . Wags named a cocktail in Sullenberger's honor. A "Sully" consists of two shots of Grey Goose vodka and a splash of water. [72] References 'Miracle on Hudson' pilot Sullenberger retires - The San Diego Union-Tribune Alfred Olango's father sues El Cajon police in fatal shooting 'Miracle on Hudson' pilot Sullenberger retires Captain Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III (seen at an event in January) is retiring from his job as a commercial airline pilot. / Getty Images Captain Chesley B.

"Sully" Sullenberger III (seen at an event in January) is retiring from his job as a commercial airline pilot. Captain Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III (seen at an event in January) is retiring from his job as a commercial airline pilot. (/ Getty Images) MITCH WEISS and SAMANTHA BOMKAMP, Associated Press Writers Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger has flown his final flight. The pilot who landed a US Airways plane safely on the Hudson River last January said Wednesday he is retiring after 30 years and plans to spend some of his time pressing for more flight safety. "My message going forward is that I want to remind everyone in the aviation industry - especially those who manage aviation companies and those who regulate aviation - that we owe it to our passengers to keep learning how to do it better," he said at a news conference shortly after his last flight landed at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Sullenberger officially retired at a private ceremony in Charlotte with fellow pilots and other US Airways employees. The 59-year-old Sullenberger joined US Airways' predecessor airline in 1980.

His final flight, number 1167 from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to his base at Charlotte (N.C.) Douglas International Airport took just under two hours. It arrived at 2:48 p.m. EST - 17 minutes ahead of schedule. Sullenberger flew on Wednesday with his co-pilot during the Hudson landing, First Officer Jeff Skiles. As they walked off the plane, people in the airport recognized the pilots and applauded. Sullenberger said he plans to spend more time with his family in retirement and will write another book. He will also continue to talk to lawmakers about raising minimum qualifications for pilots and work to lower the maximum number of hours pilots are able to work in a single day. He said it's more difficult to be a pilot today than 30 years ago. "There is so much pressure to hire people with less experience. Their salaries are so low that people with greater experience will not take those jobs. We have some carriers that have hired some pilots with only a few hundred hours of experience. ... There's simply no substitute for experience in terms of aviation safety," Sullenberger said.

Flight attendant Doreen Welsh, 59, who was on Flight 1549 when it landed in the Hudson, also officially retired Wednesday. Welsh, 59, joined US Airways' predecessor airline in 1970 - when she was 19 years old. All 150 passengers survived the emergency river landing in January 2009 when a flock of Canada geese was sucked into the plane's engines minutes after taking off from New York's LaGuardia, headed for Charlotte, N.C. "Each generation of pilots hopes that they will leave their profession better off than they found it," Sullenberger said. "In spite of the best efforts of thousands of my colleagues, that is not the case today." He said about a half dozen of the passengers on Flight 1549 joined him on his last flight. One of the survivors of the Hudson River landing, Mary Berkwitz, said by phone from her Stallings, N.C., office that she was disappointed to hear Sullenberger was retiring. "Every time I get on a plane, I feel like, Oh God, I hope it's Sully at the pilot's seat. Now I know it's not going to be.

In a way it's sad," she said in an interview with The Associated Press. Since that famous flight last year, Sullenberger has testified before Congress regarding pilot safety, given speeches about education and written a book, "Highest Duty." He became a member of US Airways' flight operations safety management team last September. A US Airways pilot with as much experience as Sullenberger makes about $130,000 to $150,000 a year. Sullenberger told Congress last year that his pay was cut 40 percent in recent years and his pension was terminated and replaced with a promise "worth pennies on the dollar" from the federally created Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. The cuts followed a wave of airline bankruptcies - including two at US Airways - after Sept. 11 and were compounded by the recession. Sullenberger said the crash in the Hudson changed his life. "Quite frankly, prior to Jan. 15, 2009, I was planning to work for the rest of my life. And I'm still not retiring from work. I'm retiring from the airline so I can use my time on other issues of great importance of this moment," he said.

While Sullenberger walked away from the emergency landing unscathed, flight attendant Welsh was seriously injured in the crash and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. She says she is still afraid of the water. Her ongoing unease while flying since the crash led her to leave the only job she has ever had. "I grew up out there," Welsh said. Welsh plans to go on the speakers' circuit to talk about her experiences in the crash. "I feel grateful for still being alive," she said. The opportunities of the last year "have been wonderful, but it was a high price to pay. And if I could go back, I would have rather just been flying and doing my job and not having gone through that, because I have to live with that for the rest of my life." Bomkamp reported from New York. Associated Press writer Samantha Gross in New York contributed to this report.

Question: What was the job of Chesley B Sullenberger III that made him famous on 15 January 2009?
Answer: Airline pilot